Surgical garment



Jue 26, 1951 T. LEWIS SURGICAL GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ooi. 2l, 1947 ala l INVENTOR. 7%555/1 L .ew/5

ATTO/@VEZ Patented June 26, 1951 SURGICAL GARMENT Tressa Lewis, Washington, D. C.

Application October 21, 1947, Serial No. 781,142

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical garments and more particularly to a post-operative surgical garment. It is particularly `adapted for use as a bed jacket to be worn by small children after head surgery such as an eye, an ear, or a mastoid operation.

After a surgical operation upon the head such as an eye, an ear, or a mastoid, it is necessary that the rst surgical dressing shall remain in place for several days after the operation. This is extremely important because of the risk of infection and possible injury to the-tissue which is in process of healing, if the first dressing is accidentally removed or dislodged.

Such operations are exceedingly painful causing the patient to involuntarily linger the rst surgical dressing. Small children frequenly dislodge and even tear oif the dressing, thus exposing the wound to infection and even damaging the delicate tissues. The resulting infection or damage to an eye, for example, may delay recovery and sometimes make it necessary to remove the eye altogether. Similarly an infection of the ear or of the mastoid region may prove very serious, even fatal.

The object of this invention is to protect a head dressing against dislodgement or removal by the patient.

Another object is a surgical garment which prevents the patient from nngering a head dressing `without otherwise unduly restricting the patients freedom of movement.

Another object is a postoperative surgical garment which may be adjusted to the patient.

Another object is a postoperative surgical gars ment which will be simple, compact, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, and very efficient and durable in use..

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated in the `accompanying drawings certain suggested forms in which this invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings comprising two sheets of seven figures numbered Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive;

Figs. l and 2 are plan views of the patterns of the textile blanks from `which a surgical garment embodying the invention may be fabricated;

Fig. 3 is an exterior view of one of the sleeves of the garment `when fully open;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the surgical garment with certain of the parts partially broken away showing the rst stage of manipulation of one sleeve thereof;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the garment sho-wing a later stage oi manipulation of both of the sleeves;

Fig. 6 shows an infant wearing a surgical garment embodying the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a front view partially broken away of a modified form of the garment.

Like reference characters designate correspending parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

As best shown in Figs. l and 2, the essential portion of the garment may be fabricated. out of a rectangular piece of cotton goods or other textile fabric subdivided into the blank 2U (Fig. 1) forming the yoke il and sleeves 21-2'8, and two identically shaped blanks 29 of which one is shown in Fig. 2, which co-operates with the sleeves 21--28 to form pockets such as the pockets 30 and 36 (Fig. 3) i The pattern 20 is fashioned from a rectangular piece of textile material which is cut away at the center thereof to form a neck opening 2| in the yoke 4l. The' blank 29 is slit down the front at 22. Each sleeve 2-28 is partially formed by removing the four corner strips of the fabric to approximate the left and right armpit lines of the garment, thus forming the cutouts 23 `and 25 of the sleeve 21, and the cutouts 2.4 and 2B of the sleeve 28.

The opposite end edges of each blank 29 may be hemmed under and stitched with lines of stitches 3l-3I (Fig. 3) to form the hemmedunder edges 34-34 (Fig. 3). Each blank 29is placed in correct registry with one of the sleeves, as with sleeve 23 (Fig. 3), in spaced relation to the armpit line and with the end of sleeve eX- tending beyond the blank 29 to form the flap 38 and the sleeve 28 and blank 29 are secured together (Fig. 3), along their running edges as by one (or more) lines of stitches 32-32 (Fig. 3). The marginal edges of the sleeve 28 (and 21) may be provided with a hemmed-over edge 33. When the blank 29 is in correct registry with the sleeve 28 (or 2l) the outer end of the sleeve extends beyond the outer end of the blank 29 to form a flap 33; and the inner end of the blank 29 terminates short of the line of the armpit.

One or more lines of stitches 39 (Fig. 3) is sewn through the sleeve 28 and the blank 29, crosswise (Fig. 3), thus subdividing the sleeve 28 and the blank 29 into an inner pocket 39- and an outer pocket. A series of spaced lines of stitches 35--35 extending parallel to the running edges of the sleeve 28 and to each other, and arranged equidistant apart, are lsewn through they matee rial of the sleeve 28, of the blank 29, and through the spaced tapes 42, to form a series of batten pockets 36-36 (Fig. 3), for receiving the battens 31-31 (Fig. 4).

The edge of the neck 2| may be finished off with a suitable binding or reinforcing tape or piping 43 (Fig. 4) which may be doubled back if preferred, to form the loops 44-44 for receiving adjustable tiebacks. The edges of the slit 22 (Fig. 1) may also be hemmed over or otherwise finished oi with a suitable reinforcing or binding tape or piping, similar to the piping 43 around the neck line. One or more sets of suitable tie strings 45-45 may be attached down the front of the yoke 41 in any suitable manner, as by stitching, to provide means for fastening the garment.

The partially formed garment may now be folded longitudinally along its median line 65 (Figs. l, 4, 5), to bring the upper and lower finished running edges of the yoke 41 and of the sleeves 21 and 28 into registry, and while the partially formed garment is thus folded, one or more lines of stitches 46-46 are sewn through the edges of the yoke at the armpits (Fig. 4), to complete the garment.

The running edges of the sleeves 2l and 28 are not stitched together, but are left free and open. Two (or more) tie tapes i2-42 are secured to the sleeves 21 and 28 by the spaced lines of stitches 35-35 at the same time that the batten pockets 36-36 are formed. One or more tie tapes 42 may be doubled back or otherwise arranged to provide one or more tie loops 48-48 (Fig. 5).

Each sleeve pocket (Fig. 3) padded with a soft filler or padding 4I (Fig. 4) consisting of absorbent cotton or the like, and the battens 31-31 (Fig. 4), are inserted in the batten pockets 35i-35. The battens are made from thin strips of wood with the edges rounded off and the surface of the wood otherwise suitably nished off smoothly and all rough surfaces eliminated. Batten pockets 36--36 are preferably sized to receive the conventional wooden tongue depressers 31-31 which are so commonly used in most hospitals as to'be considered a standard accessory.

In use, each sleeve 21 and 28 is folded over along the line of fold indicated approximately by the lines of stitches 39-39 (Fig. 3), thus bringing the seams 34-34 (Fig. 3) together and causing the batten pockets 36-36 containing the battens 31-31, to overlie the pockets 3'l-30 containing the ller 4 i. In this position the pockets 31N- 36 are nearer to the arm, so that the filler 4l acts as a cushion for the battens 31-31 which are now disposed in a series of pockets 36-36 facing inwardly but arranged in the outer fold of a double sleeve. Each flap 38 is now folded over along the line of fold 40 (Fig. 4) to overlie the mouths of the batten pockets 36-35 (Fig. 3) and the free end of the folded flap 38 may be tucked inside the mouth of the sleeve pocket 30, thus locking the flap inside the pocket 36 therelby preventing the battens 31-31 from being dislodged from the batten pockets 36-3. With the sleeves thus folded the battens 31-31 will extend along the patients arms from a line substantially above the elbow to a line between the elbow and the wrist, substantially as indicated generally in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The patient is dressed in the bed jacket or 'sacqua and the tie strings 45 (Figs. 4 and 5) for is suitably `4 54 and 55 (Fig. '7) are tied and adjusted to the comfort of the patient.

The sleeves 21 and 28 are wrapped around the patients arms thus bringing the running (split) edges 32-32 together, and the sleeve tapes 42-42 are tied with suitable bow knots (Fig. 6), to retain the sleeves in place. The filler 4| (Fig. 4) cushions the battens 31.

The tie tapes B9 may be passed through the sleeve loops 48-48 and loosely fastened to the posts 68 (Fig. 6) of a bed or crib or to a chair (in the case of a sitting patient), thus allowing reasonable freedom of arm movement while at the same time preventing the patient from reaching the mask 56 or the bandage 64 with either hand.

Instead of fastening the tie tapes 69 to the posts 68 (Fig. 6), they may be threaded through the sleeve loops it-48 and shoulder loops 44-44 and drawn up and tied to adjust the length oi the sleeve to the arm of the patient. By shortening the tape 69, the sleeve 21 (or 23) may be shortened as required so that the battens 31-31 will surround the arms above and below the elbows. With the sleeves properly adjusted, the patient may move the arms freely, but the presence of the padded battens 31--31 prevents the patient from bending the elbows, so that the patient cannot touch the head with either hand and is unable to dislodge or tear off the mask 66 or the head dressing 64 from the injured eye 61.

A surgical garment developed in the manner previously described, is a very simple form of my invention. It might be termed a single-breasted bed jacket or saeque (Figs. 4 and 5). The garment may, however, be embodied in any other preferred form such as the double breasted garment 563 shown in Fig. 7, which may include an inner breast panel 5i and an overlapping outer breast panel 52. It may be provided with a reinforcing tape 53 secured to the yoke of the garment from the line of merger of the neck and shoulder line to the hemmed lower edge 53, to form a diaper fastening tape. The inner panel 5l may be provided with one or more tie strings such as the neck tape 54 (Fig. 7), and the outer panel 52 may also be provided with suitable fastening means such as the tie fasteners 55-55 (Fig. 7). 'Ihe neck 5S of the garment 50 (Fig. 7) may be finished off with a collar 51. The bottom edge of the yoke 58 may be hemmed under as indictated at E3, and the open sleeves 59 and 6l may be formed independently of the yoke and attached to the yoke at the armpit by one or more lines of stitches 6B and E2.

The bed jacket may also be provided with a skirt 49 (Fig. 6) to form a garment of any desired length, or it may be worn with a gown or othei` full length garment if desired. While wearing a garment embodying this invention, a child can-- not suck its thumb.

Other variations of my invention within the scope of the appended claims will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim: 1. A surgical garment having split sleeves, each sleeve comprising two pieces of material placed one above the other and secured together along the split edges of the sleeve and crosswise intermediate their opposite ends to form an inner pocket and an outer' pocket disposed upon the outside of the sleeve, said inner pocket being large enough to receive removable padding material, said outer pocket being subdivided into a plurality of elongated pockets extending lengthwise of the sleeve, said elongated pockets being and an outer pocket disposed upon the outside of" the sleeve, said inner pocket being large enough to accommodate padding material, said outer pocket being subdivided into a plurality of elongated pockets along the sleeve, said elongated pockets being sized to accommodate stiffening battens, and said split sleeve being foldable crosswise so that said elongated pockets overlie said inner pocket to cause said padding material to cushion said battens and said battens to stiffen the folded sleeve to prevent lengthwise flexing thereof.

3. A surgical garment having a split sleeve, said split sleeve being formed of two plies of textile fabric placed one above the other, the lower ply of fabric being longer and extending beyond the upper ply to form a flap in the wrist region of the split sleeve, said plies of fabric being sewn together along the opposite split edges of the sleeve to partially form pockets, said plies of fabric being also sewn together transversely to the split edges to subdivide the split sleeve into adjoining upper and lower pockets, the upper pocket extending above and below the elbow region of the split sleeve, the lower pocket'extending from the upper pocket to the wrist region of the split sleeve, said upper pocket being adapted to be suitably stuffed to pad the corresponding portion of the split sleeve, said lower pocket being further subdivided into a series of elongated pockets extending lengthwise of the split sleeve for receiving and accommodating a series of conventional tongue depressers for stiiening said elongated pockets, said split sleeve being foldable crosswise along the line of juncture of the upper and lower pockets so that said elongated pockets overlie said upper pocket, said flap also being foldable to overlie the mouths of said elongated pockets, said split sleeve when thus folded being wrappable around a contained arm to bring the split edges of the sleeve together to complete a sleeve, and fastening means for securing the formed sleeve and the contained flap and for stiffening said sleeve lengthwise to immobilize a contained elbow.

4. In a surgical garment a yoke, a pair of sleeve members merging with said yoke and in continuation thereof, each sleeve member comprising two open pieces of fabric sewn together lengthwise at spaced intervals to form a split sleeve member and a series of elongated pockets, each of said pockets being sized to hold a conventional tongue depresser, each split sleeve member being transversely foldable to develop a sleeve having the elongated pockets in the outer folded portion thereof, said elongated pockets extending substantially equidistant above and below the elbow line, said transverse lines of fold forming the bottom ends of their respective split sleeves, said folded split sleeves being adapted to hold a filler when inserted between the folded plies to cushion the tongue depressers when inserted in the pockets, said sleeve members being adjustable for length, and means depending from each partially developed sleeve for detachably securing the running edges thereof together to complete the sleeve.

5. In a surgical garment a yoke, a pair of open arm members merging with said yoke and in continuation thereof, each arm member being substantially longer than the arm length of :a conventional garment, each arm member including two open pieces of fabric united along their oppositely disposed free running edges, said pieces of fabric in conjunction being fashioned into a large pocket and a series of elongated pockets extending from adjacent one end of the large pocket towards the free end of its associated arm member, each of said elongated pockets being sized to receive and hold a conventional tongue depresser, the outer end of one of said plies of fabric being longer than the other thus forming a flap, said large pocket being designed to receive a filler material and form a cushion for the arm, said arm member being reversely foldable between said large pocket and said elongated pockets to partially form a sleeve having its elongated pockets enclosing said large pocket and with said flap engageable in the mouth thereof to enclose the free ends of said tongue depressers, said pockets being adapted to enclose the arm to develop a cushioned but rigid sleeve for retaining the lower arm in alignment with the upper arm, and means secured to the running edges of the sleeve member for retaining them in enclosed position to complete the rigid cushioned sleeve.

6. A surgical garment comprising an open armmemberfor developing a sleeve, said arm-member comprising an open piece of fabric long enough to extend substantially from shoulder to wrist. another piece of fabric overlying but shorter than said arm-member and secured thereto lengthwise thereof by spaced lines of stitches, another line of stitches passing through said piece of fabric and said arm member crosswise between the elbow and the wrist regions thereof to form externally disposed pockets, the mouths of said pockets facing towards the opposite ends of the arm-member, other spaced lines of stitches passing through said arm member and said overlying ply of fabric and extending from the region of the crosswise stitches towards the wrist region to sub-divide one of said pockets into a series of elongated pockets, each such pocket being sized to hold a relatively rigid slat, the outer extremity of the arm member being foldable to cover the mouths of the elongated pockets, said arm member being foldable in the region of the crosswise stitches to partially develop an enclosing elbow-immobilizing sleeve, and tie tapes attached to the arm member which tapes can be tied to complete an arm-enclosing elbow-immobilizing sleeve.

TRESSA LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

